Aliza Sherman	The Week of September 18th, 2005

Cybergrrl

1. What's in your wallet right now?

I'm embarrassed to tell you what is really in it but - deep breath - here goes: 2 personal credit cards, 1 business credit card, 2 bank cards (biz and personal), AAA membership card, 2 grocery store cards, 2 bookstore cards, 2 office supply store cards, and cards for a copy shop, local zoo membership, medical insurance, video store, pet store, warehouse store, campground, RV club, and a library card for a library in a town I lived in a year ago. This doesn't include old business cards, scraps of paper with random numbers and 3 pennies. No cash.

2. What do you wish your parents taught you about money?

It is what they DID teach me that seems to have affected my financial life - they taught me how to go into debt. Not that they glamorized it, but they did rack up a lot of credit card debt, and I thought that nothing bad happened because of it. I've since learned my own lesson the hard way.

3. What is your worst habit around finances?

Buying things online when I'm feeling blue.

4. What makes you happy?

Being creative, being adventurous, learning to be outdoorsy with my mountain man of a husband.

5. Personal philosophy around money?

If you make it, you should be able to enjoy it. If you aren't making it, you need to work harder. If you have it, try to save some of it but don't deny yourself all the time. (Okay, I'm learning not to be so impulsive!)

6. Where does money come from?

Hard work and creativity.

7. What would you do with a million dollars?

Buy a house for my mom, buy a house for my dad, buy a house for my sister and buy a house for me and my husband. If there is anything left over, invest it in something besides real estate!

8. What is your most prized possession?

My 1977 Dodge Apache Class C motorhome that I purchased for $5500 cash and put in more than $15,000 over the course of three years to keep it running.

9. Who is your role model?

Madonna because of how she took charge of her career and still reinvents herself on a regular basis.

10. What is your greatest achievement?

Making the Internet and Web more accessible and valuable to thousands and thousands of women worldwide through Cybergrrl and Webgrrls.

11. What are you up to these days?

Writing a handbook on miscarriage and making films about miscarriage and other women's issues. Produced my first radio segment for "Marketplace." Finding new ways to make a living off my creativity.

12. What contributions to society do you want to make?

I want to produce books, films, TV shows, radio programs and web sites that educate, inspire and touch people's lives. My company motto is "Art with Purpose."

13. If you could buy one thing right now what would it be?

A new RV or pay to have my old RV brought up to Alaska where I now live.

14. Favorite activity that doesn't cost a dime?

Blogging. (I pay a small annual fee for some of my blogs but other ones are totally free).

15. How do you indulge yourself?

Organic chocolate and a cheap shiraz.

Named by Newsweek as one of the "Top 50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet," Aliza Sherman is the Original Cybergrrl, a passionate evangelist for the Internet and thought leader, online marketing expert, published author, international speaker and regular contributor to national magazines and web sites. A few years ago, she appeared on the cover of USA TODAY as part of a technology summit and was the only woman and the only small business owner on the panel of today's technology leaders including Michael Dell of Dell Computers and the CEOs of Lucent Technologies, 3Com and Comcast.

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